By Kodjo
Adams, GNA
Accra, July 11, GNA – Mrs Elsie Appau-Klu, a
lawyer and the Regional Representative of Acreaty Management Plc, a human
resource firm in Ghana, has been honoured at the eighth edition of the African
Achievers awards.
Other recipients of the Africa Achievers
Award, include Mr Ibrahim Mahama of Ghana, Senator Howard Taylor- Vice
President of Liberia, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, Leader of Nigeria’s House of
Representatives, Mo Abudu, TV Mogul, Linsey Oliver – Co Founder of Al- Jazeera,
among others.
The event, which took place in the House of
Commons in London, was hosted by Rt. Hon Diane Abbott, Shadow Home Secretary.
This year’s event is under the theme “Girls
Child Right to Education: A case for Africa“.
In her speech, Mrs Appau-Klu underscored the
importance of girl child education and women empowerment.
According to her, educating and empowering
girls and women would lead to the socio-economic development of the family,
community and the nation at large.
She recalled how she had to face many
challenges in male dominated field.
“As a young girl, and coming from Africa,
I often receive comments and impressions like: “you cannot make it here”, “how
dare you a little girl talk in the presence of men. This is a male dominated
field and you cannot come here and control us. However, I was determined to
make it just to prove to them that indeed, women are equal to the task as men
are.”
“Right after my second cycle education,
there was a genuine sense of urgency about the effort to bridge the gap between
men and women in all spheres of life, not just education. I became more
self-motivated to ‘take the bull by the horn’ by taking up responsibility for
my own success and that of other women.
“All my life, I have had one big dream. A
dream that is scary enough to give me sleepless nights. A dream I hope to live
for and achieve. But most importantly, it is a dream for which I would want to
be remembered for-Empowering women through education.”
Touching on some of her initiatives to promote
women empowerment in Ghana, Mrs Appau-Klu said as Regional Representative for
Acreaty Management PLC, she has led her team to develop a programme dubbed,
“Beyond Academics,” where young people are trained on employable skills to
prepare them adequately for the job market.
The African Achievers Awards has consistently
honoured great African achievers from African Leaders, Young Achievers, and
Community Builders to Captains of Industries across the continent.
The awards ceremony has fast become
established as one of the biggest gatherings of influential and global African
Achievers on the continent.
Mrs Elsie Appau-Klu is also a Policy Analyst
and Water Governance specialist.
She has over 14 years work experience as a
policy analyst, project management expert and social development specialist
with particular expertise in water governance, gender and public financial
management issues.
She has
advised and worked on various projects which look at project management, good
governance with the World Bank, African Development Bank, the UN system and the
Netherlands Foreign Affairs Ministry.
She advocated the passage of the Domestic
Violence Act and worked as Gender Advisor with the Netherlands Embassy who
funded the implementation of the National Plan of action between 2009-2012.
Mrs Appau- Klu also worked on promoting gender
equity by supporting initiatives on the campaign against early and forced
marriages. The interventions were funded by the Netherlands and Canadian
Governments in five regions of Ghana.
She served on many Boards including the
Dominion University Council, FEED Africa (USA Based NGO), Ministerial Advisory Board for Youth and
Sports(2010- 2011), West African Sexual and Reproductive Rights Committee
amongst others.
GNA